State police try to corral 'Bullrun' rally by the horns

Apack of souped-up cars on a rally from Los Angeles was reported Wednesday afternoon to Oregon State Police troopers throughout Southern Oregon.

By chris conrad

Apack of souped-up cars on a rally from Los Angeles was reported Wednesday afternoon to Oregon State Police troopers throughout Southern Oregon.

The vehicles were seen speeding near Klamath Falls, Diamond Lake and Crater Lake, raising concerns that the group is a hazard on the road.

The drivers are part of the "Bullrun Rally" that began more than a week ago in Los Angeles. The group is making a circuit from Southern California up into Nevada, Idaho and Oregon and then finishing in Los Angeles, according to the rally website.

OSP Lt. Gregg Hastings said troopers were alerted to the speeding cars Wednesday afternoon. The cars were phoned in by motorists saying the cars were traveling at high speeds near Klamath Falls.

Other concerned drivers spotted the rally cars near Diamond Lake.

Hastings said troopers are on the lookout for the rally cars.

Troopers have previously stopped several of the cars for speeding in eastern Oregon earlier this week.

"We've had reports of them up in La Pine, Chiloquin and other places," Hastings said. "They are a concern. We want them to come visit our state and enjoy themselves, but they also need to obey our traffic laws for safety reasons."

On Tuesday, troopers stopped a 2012 Porsche on Highway 26 near Sandy. The driver, identified as 55-year-old Wahe Yeterian, of New York, was cited for driving 90 mph in a 55 mph zone.

During the stop, the trooper learned that Yeterian had been stopped earlier that day near John Day for traveling 117 mph.

A second driver associated with the rally was given a warning for speeding. Drivers traveling west on Interstate 84 near Cascade Locks also reported speeding cars that were part of the rally.

Troopers working in Grant County cited three rally drivers Tuesday morning for driving more than 100 mph.

The drivers face a fine of $1,150 and a suspension of their diving privileges in Oregon for 30 to 90 days.

The "Bullrun Rally" website states the event is not a race, but the drivers are tasked with being the fastest to reach a checkpoint given to them at the beginning of the day. The rally started June 22 and ends June 29.

The rally has included several celebrities over the past few years. It kicks off with a large party in Los Angeles before hitting the road toward the Pacific Northwest.